The announcement of the 2016 Horse of the Year will cap the evening Saturday at Gulfstream Park when the Eclipse Awards are presented for the 46th time. If social-media chitchat and informal polls are right, then California Chrome, a 5-year-old last year, will top Arrogate for the honor, despite the fact that Arrogate, then 3, beat the older horse the only time they met in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. And, of course, polls are never wrong.
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DRF Past Performances
Since the Eclipse Awards began in 1971, just one horse – John Henry – has been named Horse of the Year in nonconsecutive years, a feat California Chrome could equal on Saturday night when the 46th annual Eclipse Awards dinner is held at Gulfstream Park.
California Chrome was named Horse of the Year in 2014. After a 2015 campaign cut short by injury and squabbles among his original owners, he rebounded in 2016 with a nearly flawless campaign highlighted by victories in the Dubai World Cup and Pacific Classic, his lone loss coming in the Breeders’ Cup Classic against Arrogate.
Joe Hirsch won the Eclipse Award of Merit for 1992 because he was a tireless ambassador for Thoroughbred racing, because he was instrumental in the birth of such events as the Arlington Million, the Japan Cup, and the Dubai World Cup, and because he spent most of his career as a one-man Michelin Guide for any young reporter who needed a crash course in the game.
He was also a journalist.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The itinerary is set, one that covers the nation from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to suburban Los Angeles with Kruljac men.
On Saturday, when Finest City starts in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita, trainer Ian Kruljac will saddle the mare in her first start since an upset win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in November.
Across the nation, his father, Eric, will be overdressed, by his standards, appearing on behalf of his son and client Tyler Seltzer at the Eclipse Awards at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
Trainer Chad Brown’s stable already was loaded with high-class turf horses when Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms told Brown early in 2016 that it was sending him another star. Flintshire’s world travels twice had brought him to the United States for single races. Now, he would be spending the entire 2016 season with Brown.
Before anyone really knew what was happening, it was happening.
Highland Reel broke from post 12 in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, came out running, made the lead, and settled into a good rhythm under jockey Seamie Heffernan. He had a two-length lead through an even tempo after a half-mile, and then zip – just like that, Heffernan went for it with an early move.
If you want an idea of the regard trainer Chad Brown has for New Money Honey, his quote after he sent out his filly to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf speaks volumes.
“I think the sky is the limit,” Brown said. “A mile [the distance of the Juvenile Fillies Turf] is as short as she wants to run. I think this filly has an unbelievable future.
“It’s not out of the question,” Brown added, “that we give her a spin on the dirt to see how she handles it before the Kentucky Oaks.”
The Eclipse Awards are 46 years old this year, and it should come as no surprise that there have been some interesting and distinctive divisional finalists over that time. But Lady Aurelia, a finalist for champion 2-year-old filly of 2016, might very well be the most unique Eclipse Award divisional finalist ever.
Now that the dust has settled – and, after more than two months, the dust has indeed settled – it doesn’t really matter that Champagne Room was 33-1 when she won the 14 Hands Winery Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. The only thing that REALLY matters is, Champagne Room won the Juvenile Fillies. And with the Juvenile Fillies being the biggest, most important event in the 2-year-old filly division, Champagne Room’s victory makes her not only a thoroughly deserving divisional Eclipse Award finalist, but also squarely the one to beat for the 2-year-old filly championship.